


Second Attempt

by Owlix



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Awkward Attempts at Affection, Awkwardness, Communication, Gen, Hugs, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 13:37:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13191216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owlix/pseuds/Owlix
Summary: Megatron would like a real hug from Ultra Magnus, this time.





	Second Attempt

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to post something soft and warm for the end of the year. This is set soon after the end of the MTMTE Holiday Special.

Magnus arrived at Megatron’s office precisely on time.

Megatron was expecting him, but Magnus still knocked on the office door and waited a polite moment before entering. It was the kind of consideration that Megatron had come to expect from him, although he still had little idea how to respond.

Megatron put down his datapad – half-finished, unsatisfying attempts at poetry – and stood to meet him.

“I’m here to apologize,” Magnus said, as soon as the door shut behind him.

Megatron held up one hand to cut him off. “If this is about what I think it is, Magnus, there’s no need. Velocity explained the situation to me. I know that wasn’t you in the armor. I can hardly hold you accountable for the actions of…” He made a face at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. “…  _sentient scraplets_.”

Magnus seemed relieved by this, but only slightly. “Yes. Well. I should’ve kept the armor more secure.” He fidgeted, clasping his hands together in a fussy nervous gesture that would’ve been much better suited to his irreducible self. “It was my mistake, and ultimately remains my responsibility.”

Megatron got the feeling that he wouldn’t get very far by arguing the point. “Apology accepted, then.”

Magnus relaxed immediately, expression evening out into that neutral frown of his that seemed to stand in for a smile.

“I appreciate you bringing this up,” Megatron said. “It’s good to clear the air. I know that you would never – that you wouldn’t…” He felt foolish even speaking the word. “ _Hug_ me.”

“I –” Magnus glanced at the far wall and kept fidgeting. “I would never embrace you against your will, of course. However, I’m not averse to showing physical affection. I have been known on occasion to…” He cleared his throat. “Hug.”

Megatron blinked. “I see.” Maybe he shouldn’t have been surprised; Magnus was comfortable with small physical gestures of affection, especially when out of his armor. And it wasn’t as if they’d never  _touched_ before; Megatron had even _carried_ Minimus on occasion. Still, he’d never seriously considered…

Megatron tried to speak and nearly lost his nerve. He tried again. “If that’s the case, perhaps…”

“Yes?” Magnus glanced up sharply, then immediately turned away.

“Well. If you don’t mind, I was wondering if I could. If we. Could.” Forcing the words out grew increasingly difficult. “…  _hug_. Each other.” Megatron could feel his face getting hot. He couldn’t remember the last time that had happened with embarrassment rather than rage. It was an unpleasant feeling. “To replace the memory of… what happened earlier.”

“Yes,” Magnus said, before Megatron had quite finished speaking. “Yes, of course.”

Megatron had expected rejection, at best reluctance. Not this awkward but unmistakable  _eagerness_. He stood there dumbstruck.

Magnus reached for him.

Megatron immediately, reflexively flinched away. Just as quickly, Magnus pulled back in response, then stood there hesitating.

“If I could be the one to initiate…” Megatron managed to say, before his vocoder locked up.

“Of course,” Magnus said. “I apologize.” And he stood still, leaving his body posture open as if to invite attack, arms extended loosely at his sides.

Megatron regretted his request almost immediately. He had no idea how to initiate a hug, especially not with Ultra Magnus; it had been a very long time since he’d hugged anyone, and he’d never hugged an  _Autobot_ – at least, not since the war had started.

He stepped closer, aware of the heat from Magnus’ frame and the thick texture of his electromagnetic field, but especially of those strong and open hands out of sight of his peripheral vision. Those hands were dangerous.  _Everything_ about Magnus was dangerous, and Megatron wasn’t as strong as he used to be.

 _Irrelevant_. Megatron had  _put all of that aside_. He had made a promise to himself. He  _would not fight_ , not any more, not even in self defense. Besides which, while the possibility existed that Ultra Magnus might attack him  _someday_ , he certainly wasn’t going to do it here and now.

Megatron awkwardly wrapped his arms around Magnus’ huge torso. Magnus lifted his own arms slightly to let him.

Ultra Magnus wasn’t easy to hug. His chest was an awkward shape, jutting out as if to repel anyone getting too close, and he was massive. But with some mutual negotiation, Megatron managed to find a comfortable position. He stood there, hands at Magnus’ back, not sure what he should be doing or how to go about doing it. His frame prickled with anticipation of violence. None came. After a moment, the rest of his neural net caught up with the reality of the situation; none  _would_ come. His hypervigilance slowly ticked down to its usual level of background noise.

The embrace went on for a long moment, stiff and one-sided. Nothing changed, but somehow it became… nice. Magnus was warm. His engine thrummed against Megatron’s chassis, even and soothing. The texture of his armor’s electromagnetic field pressed against his own, thick and rich and strangely pleasant.

“May I…?” Magnus’ arms shifted.

Oh. He wanted to hug back.

“Please,” Megatron said, surprised at his own lack of hesitation.

Gradually, carefully, Magnus returned the embrace.

It was nothing like that first greedy, reckless hug from the armor. Magnus apparently approached this with the same seriousness he favored anything he did; he was  _good_ at it.

Megatron’s frame stiffened regardless. He became abruptly aware of just how much  _complacency_ he’d allowed himself. This was dangerous and foolish. Magnus’ arms tightening around him felt like a trap closing. His frame wanted to lash out, to fight back, to  _get free_.

He couldn’t. He’d sworn never to harm another living thing, and he’d meant it. The urge to lash out was overwhelming. He froze, paralyzed with the effort of holding it back.

Magnus must have sensed it. Megatron felt him hesitate and dreaded his withdrawal; as confusing and difficult as this was, Megatron didn’t want to give up. He couldn’t bring himself to speak. Instead he just tightened his embrace.

Mangus understood. He didn’t pull away, but his own touch grew gentler, much easier to bear. Megatron still couldn’t bring himself to speak. He grunted, a soft sound of affirmation.

The tension bled out of him again, slower this time. Again, Magnus must have felt it; once Megatron finally relaxed, he increased the comforting pressure of his embrace.

Magnus was big and warm and somehow both strong and yielding. His exhalations tickled Megatron’s neck. His hands rested easily on his back. His chassis was stable and supportive, engine humming a pleasant, low-pitched purr.

Megatron felt his own engine match it. He closed his optics and savored the moment for what felt like a very long time.

Eventually, Magnus began to pull away. Megatron immediately withdrew as well. Perhaps a bit too eagerly. He took a few steps back, posture stiff. Magnus fidgeted.

“That was…” Megatron found himself struggling for words. “Better. Than last time.” He cleared his throat. “You’re good at that.”

Megatron hadn’t intended to add that last part. Magnus’ fidgeting intensified. His face looked suspiciously warm under the shadow of his helm.

“Yes. Well.” He glanced modestly away. “Whenever I attempt something, I aspire to do it to the best of my ability.”

“I see.” It was very like Ultra Magnus. Megatron’s spark swelled with an inconvenient and uncomfortable rush of affection. From the way Magnus was looking at him, Megatron wondered if he was feeling something similar. He cleared his throat. “If you’re amenable, perhaps…”

“Yes?”

“Perhaps we could make a third attempt?”

Magnus’ face relaxed into that almost-smile. “Permission to initiate, this time?” he asked, with utter sincerity.

Megatron smiled back despite himself, and spread his arms wide.


End file.
